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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. drill — army training
  6. key — in music
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. key — for a lock
  9. drill — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bear — the animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. drill — a practice
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. roll — a list
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — the tool
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com